Nipple construction



1956 P. A. RAICHE NIPPLE CONSTRUCTION Filed Sept. 17, 1952 INVENTdR.

ATTORNEY 2,736,446 IP E CON TRUCTI N Paul A. Raiche, North Providence, R. L, ass'ignor to Davol Rubber Gompany, a corporation of Rhode Island Applicatio Sept mbe 1952, S ial No, 30 ,9 2 6 Claims. (01. 215-41 The present invention relates to nurser combinations for feeding infants, and has particular reference to a novel nipple construction therefor. v

Nurser combinations of the type referred to include a feeding bottle or container having a neck with outer screw threads or similar securing devices, a nipple with a base flange which seats on the bottle neck, and a retainer cap which has 21 depending internally threaded flange which engages the bottle neck threads and detachably holds the nipple flange in place on the bottle neck.

The principal object of the invention is to provide an improved one-piece nipple for a nurser combination, having a flexible vent control.

Another object of the invention is to provide a nipple construction having an integral vent control for freely admitting air to the nurser interior while preventing outflow of fluid therefrom.

An additional object of the invention is to provide a nipple for a nurser combination, having an adjustable air vent control.

A further object'of the invention is to provide a nipple having an integral flexible air vent control apron.

With the above and other objects and advantageous features in View, the invention consists of a novel arrangement of parts more fully disclosed in the detailed description following, in conjunction with the accompartying drawings, and mores pecifically defined in the claims appended thereto.

In the drawings,

Fig. 1 is an elevation of a nurser combination embodying the novel nipple constr .ction;

Fig. 2 is an elevation of a preferred nipple construction;

Fig. 3 is a'bottorn plan view of .E g 2;

Fig. .4 is ,an enlarged vertical sect on on theliue ..44

of 1, the nipple apron being in full air .vent posit cs;

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4, parts being broken away, the nipple apron being in restricted vent position;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary bottom detail view of the nipple, showing a preferred vent goove in the nipple flange lower surface;

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary detail section showing a modified nipple construction utilizing a rib vent element;

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary bottom plan view of the nipple of Fig. 7;

Fig. 9 is a view similar to Fig. 7, showing another air vent construction; and

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary bottom plan view of the nipple of Fig. 9.

It has been found desirable to provide a novel nipple for a nurser combination, which permits inflow of air into the feeding bottle as the infant withdraws liquid food and prevents leakage from the bottle, the nipple being constructed so that the nurser can be readily adjusted to control the rate of feed flow. To this end, I provide an improved one-piece nipple with a flexible base flange which seats on the bottle neck, and which has a con- United States Patent 2,736,446 Patented Feb. 28, 1956 tinually open air vent, and a flexible depending skirt which contacts the inner surface of the bottle neck and yields to admit air into the "bottle but presses back to prevent leakage of liquid from the bottle. I preferably arrange the base flange and the skirt so that increasing pressure of the retainer cap on the base flange produces an increased pressure of the skirt on the inner surface of the bottle neck, thus providing a simple and'efl'ective arrangement for establishing "a desired air vent regulation and a resulting flow rate for theliquid food. The improved nipple construction thus prevents collapse of the nipple when in use and adjusts the rate of feed to the infants requirements. i

Referring to the drawings, the nurser combination 10 includes a feeding bottle or container 11, a nipple 12, and a retainer cap 13. The bottle -1-1 is of usual type, preferably made of glass, and has a reduced neck 14 which is provided with an external thread 15. The nipple 12 is of hollow type and made of flexible material such as rubber, and has a body portion 16 which contracts ma generally cylindrical neck 16a having a slightly enlarged generally spherical feeding tip 17 provided with one or more feeding passages 18. The body portion '16 of the nipple has an annular flange 19 at its lower end, which is inclined downwardly as illustrated, and an integral annular depending skirt 20 of downwardly tapered triangular cross section and terminating in a very flexible ledge 21, the skirt .being angularly positioned at an acute angle to the flange 19 as illustrated.

When the nipple 12 is placed on .the bottle 11, the flange 19 {seats on the bottle neck as illustrated in Fig. 4, and the skirt 20 extends into the bottle neck to contact the inner surface 22 of the bottle neck. The retainer cap 13 made of molded rubber or plastic has a top 23 with a central opening 2.4 to loosely receive the body por- .tion of the nipple, and has a depending annular flange 25 which is internally threaded to engage the bottle neck threads 15, whereby the lower surface 26 of the cap presses down on .the .nipple flange '19 to seat it firmly on the bottle neck.

The nipple flange 19 is provided with an air vent passage ,by forming one or more grooves 27, preferably radial, in its lower surface {of -*a length to extend from the circumference inwardly beyond the inner surface of the :bottle neck .as shown .in Fig. 6, or by providing a pro- .jecting rib or .ribs "28 -.on its lower surface, the ribs being preferably radial as shown in Figs. '7 and -8, and provid- .ing air vent passages 29 and 30 atthe-sides thereof, or by forming an opening =31 through the flange, as shown 'in :Figs. 9 and 10.

when the tnurser elements are assembled, as shown in Fig. ,4, the air vent groove .27 permits a free inflow of air into the bottle interior through the-cooperating cap'and bottle threads and the cap opening 24. It is preferred to position an annular rib 32 on the lower surface of the retainer cap, see Fig. 4, and adjacent the central opening, to flex the nipple flange 19 downwardly and thus flex the skirt 20 upwardly into contact with the bottle neck inner surface. Air will then be admitted through the groove 27 and past the flexible skirt edge 21 into the bottle interior as suction is produced by the infant. The liquid food cannot, however, leak out, as there is liquid pressure on the skirt edge, which presses it into contact with the bottle neck inner surface.

The rate of air inflow is readily regulated by threading the cap down, as shown in Fig. 5. The cap compresses and increases the flexing of the nipple flange 19 through its annular rib 32 to distort the groove 27, or the rib 28 and its passages 29, 30, or opening 31, and to further raise the skirt 20 and cause its flexible edge 21 to more firmly contact the bottle neck interior surface. The rate of air inflow is thus changed, and the extent of down threading of the cap produces an air inflow regulation which provides a corresponding rate of flow feed, whereby adjustment of the feeding to the infants requirements is readily obtained.

Although I have disclosed a specific nipple construction designed for a nurser of the retainer cap type, it is obvious that the structure may be modified for other nurser combinations, and that changes in the size, shape, arrangement and material of the parts may be made to meet different nurser requirements, without departing from the spirit and the scope of the invention as defined in the claims appended hereto.

I claim:

1. A nurser combination, including a feeding bottle having a threaded neck, a nipple having a cylindrical body, a reduced neck portion, and a feeding tip, said nipple body having an annular flange extending from the lower portion thereof and inclining downwardly and having a peripheral portion seated on the bottle neck, and a retainer cap threaded on the bottle neck and having an outer peripheral portion pressing the nipple flange downwardly on the bottle neck and an inner annular portion engaging the upper surface of the nipple flange to press the downwardly inclined nipple flange to wards a horizontal position on the bottle neck, said nipple flange having an air vent passage, and said nipple body having a depending annular skirt of triangular cross-sec tion and having a thin flexible edge positioned at an acute angle to the nipple flange for contacting the interior wall of the bottle with increasing pressure as the cap is threaded down, whereby the bottle is normally sealed against air inflow and the thin skirt edge moves under suction pressures to permit air inflow, through the flange air vent.

2. A nurser combination, including a feeding bottle having a threaded neck, a nipple having a cylindrical body, a reduced neck portion, and a feeding tip, said nipple body having an annular flange extending from the lower portion thereof and inclining downwardly and having a peripheral portion seated on the bottle neck, and a retainer cap threaded on the bottle neck and having an outer peripheral portion pressing the nipple flange downwardly on the bottle neck and an inner annular portion engaging the upper surface of the nipple flange to press the downwardly inclined nipple flange towards a horizontal position on the bottle neck, said nipple flange having an air vent groove in the lower surface thereof, and said nipple body having a depending annular skirt of triangular cross-section and having a thin flexible edge positioned at an acute angle to the nipple flange for contacting the interior wall of the bottle with increasing pressure as the cap is threaded down, whereby the bottle is normally sealed against air inflow and the thin skirt edge moves under suction pressures to permit air inflow, through the flange air vent.

3. A nurser combination, including a feeding bottle having a threaded neck, a nipple having a cylindrical body, a reduced neck portion, and a feeding tip, said nipple body having an annular flange extending from the lower portion thereof and inclining downwardly and having a peripheral portion seated on the bottle neck, and a retainer cap threaded on the bottle neck and having an outer peripheral portion pressing the nipple flange downwardly on the bottle neck and an inner annular portion engaging the upper surface of the nipple flange to press the downwardly inclined nipple flange towards a horizontal position on the bottle neck, said nipple flange having an air vent opening therethrough, and said nipple body having a depending annular skirt of triangular crosssection and having a thin flexible edge positioned at an acute angle to the nipple fianggfor contacting the interior wall of the bottle with iflcreasing pressure as the cap is threaded down, whereby the bottle is normally sealed against air inflow and the thin skirt edge moves under suction pressures to permit air inflow, through the flange air vent.

4. A nipple for a nurser combination, having a cylindrical body, a reduced neck portion, and a feeding tip, said body having an annular flange extending from the lower portion thereof and inclining downwardly, said flange having a depending annular skirt of triangular cross section and having a thin flexible edge and positioned at an acute angle to the nipple flange, said flange having an air vent passage.

5. A nipple for a nurser combination, having a cylindrical body, a reduced neck portion, and a feeding tip, said body having an annular flange'extending from the lower portion thereof and inclining downwardly, said flange having a depending annular skirt of triangular cross section and having a thin flexible edge and positioned at an acute angle to the nipple flange, said flange having a groove in the lower surface thereof.

6. A nipple for a nurser combination, having a cylindrical body, a reduced neck portion, and a feeding tip, said body having an annular flange extending from the lower portion thereof and inclining downwardly, said flange having 21 depending annular skirt of triangular cross section and having a thin flexible edge and positioned at an acute angle to the nipple flange, said flange having an opening therethrough.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 726,122 Ware Apr. 21, 1903 1,797,433 McCrea Mar. 24, 1931 1,998,646 Yager Apr. 23, 1935 1,999,581 Yager Apr. 30, 1935 2,426,927 Ganson Sept. 2, 1947 

